Analytical and Quantitative Cytopathology and Histopathology最新文献

Objective: To investigate the effect of resveratrol (RSV) on the histopathology and leptin and sirtuin 2 expression levels of the kidneys in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats.

Study design: The study was carried out with 33 young, healthy, female Wistar Albino rats. STZ was given (50 mg/kg, intraperitoneal, single dose) to the rats to induce and constitute a diabetes model. After 1 month of STZ, resveratrol (10 mg/kg) was given for 15 days. Then the kidneys were evaluated histopathologically and the leptin and sirtuin 2 expressions were analyzed immunohistochemically.

Results: High glucose and fewer weight levels were seen in the STZ-induced diabetes mellitus group. The glucose levels in the RSV-administered diabetic group showed a tendency to decrease but not significantly. Decreased signs of histopathologic kidney damage was seen in the RSV-administered diabetic group, and an increased expression of leptin was seen in the diabetic kidney tissues. There were no significant differences of sirtuin 2 expression levels among the groups.

Conclusion: It was observed that resveratrol caused changes in the diabetic kidney histology and leptin expression level. Resveratrol may be effective, with its antioxidant and antidiabetic effects, in the prevention of kidney damage caused by long-term hyperglycemia.

Background: Primary malignancies arising in the urethra are rare and, contrary to the other genitourinary malignancies, are more common in female patients. The pathologic diagnosis of primary adenocarcinoma can be challenging due to its rarity and overlapping features with other primary and secondary malignancies. There is no specific immunoprofile to define these adenocarcinomas, but available markers may allow comparison with common secondary tumors. About 30 primary cases have been recorded to date.

Cases: We report 2 cases of primary mucinous adenocarcinoma of the male urethra, one with possible origin from Littrè glands and the other from the prostatic urethra.

Conclusion: The available data suggest that this is a heterogeneous group of aggressive tumors and that the optimal management remains to be established.

Objective: To study the expression pattern of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-like immunoreactivity (-ir) in the duck thymus during the embryonic and postembryonic development.

Study design: Studies were carried out on Tianfu ducks on 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, and 26 days of age prehatching, and at 0 (hatching), 1, 3, 5, 8, 14, 17, 20, 26, 29, and 32 weeks of age posthatching using high-sensitivity immunocytochemistry.

Results: CGRP-ir was detected in the neuron-like cells, the lymphocytes, the vascular smooth muscle cells, as well as the reticular epithelial cells of Hassall's corpuscle and diffuse forms of Hassall's corpuscle. CGRP-ir cells were predominantly distributed in the medulla and very rarely in the cortex. The distribution density of CGRP-ir cells in the medulla increased progressively from 24 days of age prehatching to 5 weeks of age posthatching, and thereafter showed a tendency to decrease. CGRP-ir nerves, mainly running along the blood vessels, were recognized during the postembryonic development of the thymus.

Conclusion: The expression pattern of CGRP-ir showed obvious age-related changes during the embryonic and postembryonic development of the duck thymus, which might be related to thymus growth and involution.

Objective: To compare histological and molecular alterations in the embryonic and neonatal thymi following exposure to tunicamycin.

Study design: Mouse embryos at gestational days 17 (n = 7) and 18 (n = 7) and newborn animals at post-natal days 1 (n = 5) and 3 (n = 5) were divided into two groups: control and tunicamycin-treated. Combined Alcian blue and Periodic acid-Schiff sequences immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting were performed to determine glycosaminoglycan (GAG) accumulation and laminin expression in control and tunicamycin-treated embryonic and postnatal thymi. The apoptotic effect of tunicamycin was evaluated by TUNEL assay.

Results: In the control group acidic GAGs first appeared in medullary cells at postnatal day 3, whereas treatment with tunicamycin promoted the accumulation of acidic GAGs in all treated groups as of embryonic day 17. However, tunicamycin slightly decreased the laminin expression, and the number of apoptotic cells was considerably increased after tunicamycin treatment.

Conclusion: Results suggest that carboxylated and acidic GAGs are two presumptive candidates to establish the thymic microenvironment during the late fetal development and postnatal periods of mice and that tunicamycin would be implicated in this establishment by increasing the acidic GAG accumulation and by reducing the laminin expression and the thymic stromal cell population.

Objective: To estimate the number of L-type calcium (Ca2+) channels in the afferent and efferent arteriolar renin-positive and renin-negative smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells of the kidney arterioles in order to seek a relationship between the cell functions and the number of ion channels in the cell membranes.

Study design: In diabetes the main source of renin/prorenin is the tubules, while the renin granulation of the afferent arterioles is increased relative to the normal. The release of renin is related to the Ca2+ levels of the intracellular and extracellular spaces of the afferent arterioles. The L-type calcium channel blockers have a stimulatory effect on the renin system. The immunohistochemical signal of the antibody against the L-type Ca2+ channels was estimated stereologically.

Results: In the diabetic kidney the relative number of L-type Ca2+ channels on the surface of the renin-positive cells of the afferent arterioles was significantly increased. In the normal kidney there was a difference in the relative number of L-type Ca2+ channels on the surface of the endothelial cells between the renin-positive and renin-negative profiles of the afferent arterioles.

Conclusion: The increment in the number of Ca2+ channels on the renin-positive cell surface in the diabetic kidney could be related to the high renin granularity of the afferent arterioles. In the normal kidney the differences in the number of L-type Ca2+ channels on the endothelial cell surface may play a role in the higher permeability of the renin-positive part of the afferent arterioles.

Objective: To evaluate the possible role of Granzyme B (GzmB) in abnormal wound healing through its immunohistochemical expression in keloid and hypertrophic scars and to study the relationship of its expression with the clinicopathologic parameters of studied cases.

Study design: Using immunohistochemical techniques, GzmB was analyzed in skin biopsies of 44 patients (30 cases with abnormal scars [21 with keloid and 9 with hypertrophic scars] and 14 age- and gender-matched cases with surgical scars as a control group).

Results: GzmB was expressed in keratinocytes in 28.6%, 66.7%, and 23.8% of surgical scars, hypertrophic scars, and keloids, respectively. Dermal expression in inflammatory cells was detected in 64.3%, 44.4%, and 28.6% of surgical scars, hypertrophic scars, and keloids, respectively. No significant difference was noted in GzmB expression intensity or percent in comparison between studied groups.

Conclusion: GzmB plays no role in the pathogenesis of keloids and hypertrophic scars. Further large-scaled studies are needed to expand or refute the current observation.

Objective: To investigate subacute toxicity of Bisphenol A (BPA) in adult rat ovaries using gastric intubation daily for 4 weeks by light and transmission electron microscopy.

Study design: Fifteen rats were included in the study and divided into 2 groups: 12 rats were used for BPA administration (600 mg/kg body weight), and 3 rats received only vehicle and served as controls. The ovaries of both treated and control rats were taken at 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks postadministration, fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin, and processed for light microscopy. Ovarian samples at the 4th week postexposure were fixed in 3% glutaraldehyde and processed for transmission electron microscopy.

Results: The main histopathological alterations were observed at the 3rd and 4th weeks postexposure. Atretic follicles,formation of cysts, separation of granulosa cells, and hyperemia of blood vessels were observed. Moreover, a marked increase in the thickness of the tunica albuginea was determined (33.8 ± 1.72 μm and 34.8 ± 1.72 μm, respectively,for the 3rd and 4th weeks as compared to the control group (13.78 ± 0.12 μm). Transmission electron microscopy showed marked lipid droplet accumulation, chromatin condensation in the nuclei of granulosa cells, and presence of autophagosomes in the treated group at 4 weeks postexposure as compared to the nonexposed group (control group).

Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest altered or disrupted ovulation. Moreover, change in the thickness of the tunica albuginea observed during the course of exposure may play a role in such disrupted ovulation.

Objective: To establish a preprocessing method for cell morphometry in microscopic images of A549 cells in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).

Study design: Adobe Photoshop CS2 (Adobe Systems, Inc.) was used for preprocessing the images. First, all images were processed for size uniformity and high distinguishability between the cell and background area. Then, a blank image with the same size and grids was established and cross points of the grids were added into a distinct color. The blank image was merged into a processed image. In the merged images, the cells with 1 or more cross points were chosen, and then the cell areas were enclosed and were replaced in a distinct color. Except for chosen cellular areas, all areas were changed into a unique hue. Three observers quantified roundness of cells in images with the image preprocess (IPP) or without the method (Controls), respectively. Furthermore, 1 observer measured the roundness 3 times with the 2 methods, respectively. The results between IPPs and Controls were compared for repeatability and reproducibility.

Results: As compared with the Control method, among 3 observers, use of the IPP method resulted in a higher number and a higher percentage of same-chosen cells in an image. The relative average deviation values of roundness, either for 3 observers or 1 observer, were significantly higher in Controls than in IPPs (p < 0.01 or 0.001). The values of intraclass correlation coefficient, both in Single Type or Average, were higher in IPPs than in Controls both for 3 observers and 1 observer.

Conclusion: Processed with Adobe Photoshop, a chosen cell from an image was more objective, regular, and accurate, creating an increase of reproducibility and repeatability on morphometry of A549 cells in epithelial to mesenchymal transition.

Objective: To present a color correction method by histogram transfer depending upon control tissue image (CTI) differences, and subsequently evaluate its performance.

Study design: Images from colon and placenta sections stained by anti-CD34 were used as CTI and/ or sample tissue images (STIs). In total, 36 slides were stained: 1 according to standard procedure and 35 with some variation in the durations or dilutions used for the staining process. For hematoxylin and eosin (20 slides) and Van Gieson (20 slides) stains, colonic mucosa and liver tissues were used. Digital images without normalization were taken by a CCD camera connected to a light microscope and stored on a computer. A software tool was developed in order to find the histogram difference between 2 CTIs and transfer the difference to the STI for achieving a corrected STI (corSTI). sSTI (1 image) and STI and corSTI (for each image) were semiquantitatively scored by 2 observers in blind fashion, and the STI and corSTI scores were compared with the sSTI score. Total optic density (TOD) and median optic density (MOD) and intensity were also calculated by the software.

Results: The STI semiquantitative score was equal to the sSTI in 23.5% of the image; this improved to 76.35% when the corSTI was compared to the sSTI. The concordance of TOD and intensity values of CD34-stained placenta images, as well as TOD and MOD values of H&E-stained colonic mucosa images, with the values calculated for the sSTI, increased following image correction.

Conclusion: These results suggest that histogram transfer depending upon CTIs may be a valuable tool for color correction of tissue section images.